Learning to Cook

Max and Alex really enjoy eating in restaurants and in general they are good eaters for their ages. They have even been known to have a salad.  They are definitely not vegetable lovers but can usually be persuaded to try new things before screwing up their faces and saying eeeew.  This is a big improvement over the days when one pea in a dish was a major calamity.  Alex especially enjoys helping in the kitchen and Max has a very discerning palate that can often differentiate the ingredients in a dish.  So Lee decided it was time for some formal training and what better introduction to the world of haute cuisine than the Hilton in Mainz which offers children's cooking courses several times a year?   So on Saturday, February 16th in the afternoon, Lee and I accompanied the boys there.

Whatever the quality of the food, the view is certainly stunning as the hotel is situated directly on the Rhine River.   You almost feel like you're on a cruise ship.

Initial preparations included donning an apron and labeling the chef's hats they all wore.

Alex looks quite inspired in this photo.

And so his new culinary career begins.

The boys, much to Lee's disappointment, don't enjoy dressing up in costumes and I think a little of this hesitancy shows through here.

However, in the end Max too is transformed in spite of a hat that is a little too small for his head and slightly off center.

At this point Lee and I left the boys to do their thing and went to a cafe and then shopping for a couple of hours in Mainz.  It was particularly nice because it's something we seldom have an opportunity to do together.

At six o'clock we returned to the restaurant to join Frank and to enjoy the fruits of the boys' labor.  After a short wait the children came marching in to a snappy tune, some of them with sparklers in their hands, just like on Love Boat.

Some of the children were carrying the first course, which they served almost like pros.

The appetizer featured spring rolls with two different dips and it was very good.  Both boys ate almost everything on their plates, which surprised me.  I asked Lee in a whisper when the boys had started eating bell peppers but she just shrugged her shoulders and laughed.  I guess vegetables taste different when children cook them.

The main course was a chicken skewer with a side of rosemary potato wedges.  This was the part of the meal that Max and Alex worked on and it was delicious.   

I think here the zucchini and peppers weren't disguised quite enough for the boys because they mostly got left on their plates. 

The dessert was aimed more at the younger set but was still an impressive achievement.  I know lots of people who never try to use yeast because they think it's too hard to work with. 

This would be cute at a children's birthday party.

For some reason Lee had a pen with her that can be used on fabric, so the boys had the chef autograph their aprons.  Soon all the children were lined up for autographs.

The boys now have diplomas to hang on their walls proving their prowess in the kitchen.

(All photos taken by Lee.)